-dangeb signal



(N0 Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet l. O. T. WOOD. ;DANGER SIGNAL.

Orl aivf%o0 N0. 534,620. -Pate ngad If eb. 19, 1895.

Wilgesses 2 SheetsSheet .2.

(No Model.)

o. T. WOOD? DANGER SIGNAL.

Patented Feb. 19, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

ORLAN T. WOOD, OB PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR T PHILLIP V. MOOULLEY AND ANNA WOOD, OF SAME PLAGE.

DANGER-SIGNAL.

SIPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 534,620, dated February l9, 1895.

Application filed Mary 1,1 894. Serlal N0. 509.681. (N0 model.)

T0 aZZ zizh0m it may corwern:

Be it known that I, ORLAN T. WOOD, a citizen of the United Sta tes residing atPlattsmouth, in the county of (lass and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Banger-Signal, of whieh the following is a speeifieation.

My invention has speeial reference to an improvement in that dass of railway signals wherein the Signal is automatically ehanged by the engagement ot' the train wheels with a trip conneeted to the signal, and arranged alongside the track; and it consists of certain improvements in the eonstruction of those devices whereby they are made more desirable and capable of more extensive use.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a plan view of a railroad Signal having my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the signal poso, showing the board and operating deviees. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of the trip mechanism. Fig.

4 is a vertieal seetion 0f the sigma] pos t. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view illustrating the system 015 levers and cords for operating the signal. Fig. 6 is a detail seetion of the devices for attaehing the operating cords 'c0 the signal post.

The reference numeral 1 indieates the traek, which may be, of eourse, of any eonstruction, and 2 the signal post or standard. This is arrang(ad alongside the track and provided with the signal board 3, which is operated by duplieate cord and detent meehanism loeated one on each side of the post and adapted to be engaged by the trains when moving in either direetion. This mechanism is the same on each side of the signal and will not be de scribed in duplicate, since a description 01: one will apply equally to either.

Secured 130 the nnder side of the rails 0f the track and extending from one 130 another is the transverse beam 4., held in place by means of the metallic plates 5, secured one on eaeh side 0f the rails and to the beam. Fixed to the bearn 4, and projeeting outwardly therefrom, are the bearings 6, and these are two in number and adapted for the reception of the shaft; 7. The shaft 7 is provided with the rigid vertical arm 8, w hich projects up t0 a point level with the tread of thetrack-rail directly adjacent to the post 2, so that it may be engaged by the flange 0f the wheel operating on the said rail.

Arranged in the arm 8, and projeoting out longitudinally with the traek and one on each side of the arm, are the rods 9, whieh extend through the arm and are provided with adjusting-nuts 10, whereby their length beyond the arm may be adjusted. The outer 0r free ends of these rode 9 are eaeh provided with the eye 11, t0 whieh the ehains 12 are counected, and These chains extend 01111 0n oppo site sides of the arm 8, and through the opening' 13, of the eylinders14.

The cylinders 14 are two in nu mber, one for eaeh ehain 12, and are seeured in the semicireular depressions 15, of the eross-ties adjacent to the beam 4, and extend longitudinally with the track. Located in the cylin ders 14, are the spiral springe 16, through which the ehains 12 extend and are eonneeted to the ends thereof which are farther away from the arm 8. By these means the arm 8 is given a normal tendency 110 a vertical position, and when it swings 011 its mountings, such movement'will be against the tendency of the springe, which will result in an immediate return to the normal positions.

Seeured to the lower side 0f the shaft 7, anal projec'ing d0wnwardly therefrom, is the second arm l7,which maybe formed independent 0f the arm 8, or may be a continuation thereof, preferably the latter. Connected to the lower end 0f the arm 17, and extending one 0n each side thereof, are the cords 18, whieh are those that operate the signal-board 3, and may be formed of chains, wires, 0r any other devices suitable for the purpose. The eords 18 extend longitudinally with the track f0r a short distance, and thence pass around the pulleys 19 and proceed out at right angles to the traek. This direetion is retained for a distance, whieh will place the cords in about longitudinal alignment with the post 2, whereupon they turn and pass around the pulleys 20, and pro ceed along the track toward the signal post. When this is reaehed the eords are respectively connected to the rode 21 of the arm 22. The rods 21 are one for eaeh of the eords 18, and consequently four in n'umber, two for each duplicate tr'1p mechanism, These rods 21 are conneeted t the arm 22, by passing through an openin g therein, and are provided with the nnts 23, one on each side of the arm, whereby the rods may be adjusted.

The arm 22 iS normally disposecl verticall y, and asses through a transverse opening in the shaft 24, which is, in tnrn, journaled in the post 2 and in the short auxiliary post 25, located adjaeent thereto. Seenred t0 the shaft 24, and extending at rigl1t angles t0 the arm 22, iS the arm 26, which projeets out from one side of the shafr, and iS eonnected thereto by meansof the nnts 27, arranged one on eaeh side 0f the Sl1aft and by whieh the arm 26 may be adjusted aecorcling t0 the length desired t0 give it.

Pivotally connectecl t0 the free end ol: the arm 26 is the rod 28, which extencls up approximately parallel witl1 the post 2, and has itS upper end pivotally eonneeted t0 the arm 29, 0f shaft 30. The arm 29 extends transis helcl in place.

The signal-board 3 consists essentially 0f two boards arranged at right angles 110 each other and rigidly joined together at one 0f their edges, thns forrning a substantially trough -shaped Signal. 'lhe Signal is counected to the shaft 30 by means ofthe metallic arme 33, whieh are preferably two in number, and provided at tbeir lower ends with the square eyes 34, adapted to fit over the square ends 0f the Shaft 30 and tobe thereloy rigidly seenred to it. The arms 33 extend throngh passages 35, formed in the cleats 33 0f one board 01": the Signal 3, and exten ding entirely through the width thereof, the arms being rigidly connected t0 the eleats by means of the nuts 36, which are arranged one on eaoh side of the board to whieh the arme 33 are conneeted, and adjustable thereon. By these means the signal-board iS connected t0 the Shaft 30, so as t0 Swing therewith, and its oseillations are limited by the arms 37 and 38, which are rigidly conneeted t0 the post 2, and extend out horizontally 0n each Side thereof. These arms 37 and 38 are eaeh provided with the spring-elasps 39, which are adapted to be engaged by the edge of the boards comprising the Signal 3, and to hold the Same in the word Banger. Now the Signal is alwayS located with one of its boards in a vertical position, so that the words printed thereon will appear 110 persons erossing from both sides 0f the track.

The eords of eaeh of the trip mechanisms are So connected to the Signal 3 that tl1ey will pause the danger board thereof to be displayed when a train moving toward the Signal, from either side, strikes the arm 8, and to keep said board so displayed until the train strikes the seeond arm 0n its way from the post. Thns the danger Signal is displayed aS soon as the train approaches the crossing and this display eontinues until the train has passed, whereupon the normal 01 all rightsignal is returned t0 a vertical position.

It; will be Seen thao the arm 8 Will be 0Scillated 0n itS bearings for a number 0f times equal to the number of wheels whieh pass over the rail t0 which the arm is adjaeent, bnt that this Will not; change the position of the Signal, it being necessary to operate the cords in a reverse direction to (10 this. II: will also be Seen that this reverse operation is effected by the engagement of the trip-arm 8 whieh is arranged down the track from 0r ahead of the train.

T41e constano and multiplied oscillations of the trip-arms during the passage of the train are used to operate a warning bei], and this mechanisrn consists of a eord 41, one for eaah trip-arm and conneeted respectively to the lower ends Of the arms 17, and extending parallel With the lower 0f the cords 18, aronnd the pnlleys 19 and 20, and thence over the pulleys 42, fixed to the basev of the post 2. From this point the eords 41 extend up parallel With the post 2 for ashort distance, and iS there conneeted to the rods 43.

The rode 43, in turn, extend np the posl: 2 and into the eylinders 44, fixed one 130 eaeh side of the post. I-Iere the rods 43 are each provided with the plates 45 fitting in Ehe cylinders and movable longitudinally therein. Interposecl between the lower ends of the cylinders 44, and between the plates 45 are the spiral springe 46, whieh operate 130 raise the rods in the cylinder. Above the plates 45 .rods 43 extend out and above the eylinders and pass throngh an eye or keeper 47, fixed one t0 each Side 0f the post 2.

Pivoted to each Side of the posts 2, and projecting rearwardly therefrom, are the elapper levers 48, which are provided with the outwardly-projeeting studs 49, adapted 110 fit; into the opening 50 of the rods 43,and to be held therein by the pins 51 passing throngh the studs. Rearward of the rods 43 the levers 48 extend, and t0 a point beyond the poslr 2, Where they are each provided With a clapper 52, adapted to operate With the hell 53, rigidly secured t0 the pos1; by means 0f the holt 54 passing through the posl; and eonnected to the bell.

Owing to the operations of the Spring-S 46 the rods 43 are kept raised, and. the clappers cb'nseguently in engage'r'nent with the upper sides 0f the hell. Here they remain until the arms 8 a17e engaged hy the train, whereupon cords 41 will he operated 1:0 draw rods 43 downwardly and cause levers 48 to strike similarly and SOEllld. the hell hy the engagement of clappers 52 therewith. The springs Of arm 8, and those of rods 43, will next operate to immediately return the levers 48 and cause the hell 1:0 he again sounded; and so the hell meehanism operates during the passage of the train.

It will 11013 he necessary for me to descrihe in detail the eonnections hetween the eords 18 and their several arms and levers, since such matters may he done hy any skilled meehanic and are suffieiently illustrated hy Fig. 5, where the eords and their attendant parts are shown diagrammatically. lt will therefore suffiee for me to say that as soon as a train approaehes the post 2, the signal 3 will he thrown t0 display the danger hoard, and that this position will he retained unhil the train passes the trip ahead, whereupon the signal is thrown t0 display the all right hoard. Contemporaneously with this operation the hell 53 is operating to warm the person's in the vicinity of the danger, and this operation will also continue until the train has passed the first trip. At this stage the hell will stop, since the engagement of the second trip will only operate to alternately slacken and tighten the cord 41, w ithout ringing the hell.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. A anger signal for railways, and eonsisting of tw0 sections secured t0 eaeh other a1: their edges a.nd arranged at right angles to each other, said signal heing adapted. to a1- ways have one seetion in a vertical position and to oscillate to ehange the positions 015 cylindrical easing and eonneeted t0 the rod thereof, wherehy the rod is given a tendency whieh will cause the clapper t0 normally engage the hell, and means for reeiprocating the rod, suhstantially as deseribed.

3. A danger signal, consisting 0f a post arising from the hed of the traekand provided with two oppositely-projecting arms a1: its upper end, a roek-shaft journaled in the post and helow the upper end thereof, an arm fixed to eaeh end 0f the roek-shafb, a eleat through which eaeh arm passes, and two signal hoards rigidly secured to each other als their edges and extending als right angles to each other, one 0f said hoards heing fixed to the eleats 01: the arme wherehy the v are eonnected to the rock-shafta and wherehy they may swing therewith, suhstantially as deserihed.

In testimony that I elaim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ORLAN T. WOOD.

Witnesses:

JOHN FRY, W. A. HARTLEY. 

